Toowoomba members to decide on club's change of course as cushion track ... - Herald Sun

Members at Toowoomba have been told there is a desperate need to return to a grass surface in the face of declining turnover. Picture: David Martinelli Source: The Courier-Mail

THE possibility of a return to grass racing in Toowoomba and the abolition of the largely unpopular cushion surface is in the hands of club members.

Toowoomba Turf Club members will get to vote on a return to a grass racing surface at the request of Racing Minister Steve Dickson.

Club chairman Bob Frappell has been told by Dickson the vote needs to be taken before Government can commit to funding the project through the $110 million Racing Industry Capital Development Scheme.

Frappell spoke last week of the desperate need to return to a grass surface in the face of declining turnover on the cushion track.

He is supremely confident of gaining the support of members.

Toowoomba has raced on the cushion surface since 2009, which was put in by the former Bob Bentley regime.

The Government was recently presented with an Industry Infrastructure Strategy by Racing Queensland that includes, as a priority, the replacement of the synthetic track at Toowoomba.

As a TAB venue, Toowoomba would become unviable in three to five years if it continued on a cushion surface.

This strategy also includes a water management plan that has been agreed upon by RQ with the Toowoomba Regional Council to guarantee water supply to the club.

Top Toowoomba trainer Michael Nolan admitted to being among those who was in favour for the cushion track at its inception, but now sees the need to return to grass racing.

"Having had it for a period of time and having the experience on it, the sooner we can return to grass racing the better," Nolan said.

"A lot of owners still don't like running their horses on it and a lot of people don't like betting on it. Therefore our field sizes suffer and our turnover suffers."

Nolan's opinion is backed up by statistics, which show acceptances are down by nearly 15 per cent at Toowoomba since cushion racing began. Wagering turnover is down by nearly 25 per cent in the last two years alone.

Furthermore, the number of runners at Queensland race meetings coming out of the Toowoomba training centre has declined by 14 per cent.

Nolan believes the damage is not irreparable if a grass track is reinstated quickly.

"We're in an area surrounded by studs, breeders and owners," he said.

"A grass course proper would boost the whole industry.

"(At the time) it was a huge grant of money and it was a huge bonus to Toowoomba to think we were going to have an all weather track that could be raced on all year round."